, 1887-12-07

A Physician Takes I'm Unexpected Attitude
ON tho Ouestlon OF Pnbllc Chnritics.

a Physician Takes I'm Unexpected Attitude
on the Question OF PHbllc Charities.
''rhc paupcr hns always had II hard
time in this world. +" said "A New York
ply stefan to - reporter, Men whose
hearts have been crowded aside by
plethoric pocketbookS,' he added, dole
him their pennies in the same spirit that
charnctcriZes their dealings with UnfOr-
tunHtc relatives. Yet the pauPcr has be
come AN Indispensable element in the
march OF civilization and science.
Before the Christian era and for many
centuries after he was crowded out of life,
like Lazarus in the parable, dying on the
doorstep Of Dives palace, covered with
sores and in all respects a-yeritablc old
time tramp. In this enlightened age,
however, he has no one but himself to
blame il such a misfortune overtukes
him. Society needs him and Il willing to
build and maintain extensive public insti-
buttons, where he may eat, sleep, be
clothed and die at an annual expense in
this city, for example, of less than 500
per capita, including a pine coffin and a
grave in Potter's field"
''But is not the paupcr a great drain on
the taxpayerS''
Hardly. The obligations of society to
the pauper, and the %pauper's obligations
to society, when weighed in the scales Of
primitive justice almost balance each
other. II anything different can be found,
the pauper has the worst of it. Unlike his
brother, the criminal, whom the public is
obliged to maintain, he has not become a
burden on society through laziness or evil
inclinations. Disease, old age, accidents
are his irremediable misfortunes He is
compelled to accept charity; yet in the
public estimation this fact overweighs all
former services he may have endered his
fellow men in the discharge of his duties
rs n citizen, and society holds him body
and soul until his obligations are full
filed
''In what manner can he possibly cancel
his obligationsy''
I'm many ways. When disease over
takes him he becomes the object of medi-
cal experiments. Professors and students
gather aroun his bedside and seek for
some new light which may guide them in
their practice among the independent
classes, and surgeons undertake in his
case operations they would never dream
of attempting if the life of a pay
ing patient were at stake. Thousands
upon thousands die each year, giving up
their lives in the interests of science; and
the wealthy taxpayer derives in the
end this benefit, that when some deadly
disease strikes him down, his cure in
many cases is effected by a new method
of treatment, perfected by experiments
which cost the lives of perhaps n hundred
paupers. Glance at the medical experts
in different diseases The results of their
experiments read something in this way:
Total number of cases, 100; died, 70; inn
proved, %; cured, 7. Then follow the de-
ductions as to the best treatment of the
malady under consideration. Such COM
pilations may be found in any medical
work, and pauper cases AVE been in al
most every instance the basis of the calcu-
lations.
aside from this how many obligations
does ono pauper cancel in sacrificing his
body upon the dissecting table? How many
physicians of reputation are indebted to
him for their knowledge of anatomy and
the functions of the various organs in the
human body2 What an important part
he plays in the education and training of
professional nurses? Thus he repays
doubly whatever obligations he may owe
to his fellow men. As n final considera-
ton how could the commissioners of c.
and C. manage to spend 81, 500, 600 per
annum of the taxpayers money if it were
not for the paupers'"-New York Mail
Express.